The Transplant Advocacy award recognizes an individual’s contribution and advocacy to one or more of the following areas: Transplant Recipient Quality of Life Organ Donation Transplant Education Recipient and Donor Rights Transplant Research Funding Eligibility Criteria: Nominee must be a transplant recipient, candidate, live donor, donor family and/or community advocate who has championed a transplant […]

There is a national drug shortage of generic tacrolimus that may or may not affect your ability to get your medications in the next few weeks. Please contact your pharmacy to find out how much supply they have and contact your transplant doctor to discuss options during the drug shortage. The supply of several brand-name […]

The first mid-term elections for President Trump have come and gone, and the outcomes went largely as most observers thought they might: Republicans maintain control of the Senate and House Democrats now control the majority. Senate Democrats faced an uphill battle having to defend ten seats in states that President Trump won and 26 total […]

The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN)/United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) Patient Affairs Committee is looking to fill some openings for its next appointment cycle, starting in July 2019. The Patient Affairs Committee meets monthly via web conference and twice a year in-person. The Committee advises the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors and other committees about patient […]

The American Society of Transplantation (AST), a New Jersey-based non-profit dedicated to advancing the field of organ transplantation has partnered with the Animal Welfare Association (AWA), the oldest and largest no-kill animal shelter in South Jersey, for a unique opportunity to promote two critical causes: organ donation and animal adoption. On August 20, the AST […]

The OPTN/UNOS Nominating Committee is seeking nominations for the 2019-2020 Board of Directors. Voting members of the Board of Directors are elected by a vote of the entire membership and serve as volunteers without compensation. Individuals may self-nominate or nominate others by submitting a biography form. The Nominating Committee will be taking nominations for the […]

The American Society of Transplantation (AST) announced that is has earned the 2018 Platinum GuideStar Nonprofit Profile Seal of Transparency, the highest level of recognition offered by GuideStar, the world’s largest source of nonprofit information. GuideStar’s Platinum Seal of Transparency recognizes AST’s sharing of detailed quantitative measures of progress and transparency. Less than 5,000 of […]

April is Donate Life Month. This month-long celebration of life was first established by Donate Life America in 2003. Below is some essential information to help you celebrate. National Pediatric Transplant Week Brand new this year is the National Pediatric Transplant Week. Celebrated April 23-27, 2018, National Pediatric Transplant Week was created in collaboration with […]

On March 14, 2018, an episode of Law & Order SVU aired which featured a story about a child’s organs being recovered without the consent of her parents. While this episode was not based on a true story, the message it portrays is damaging to the public’s trust around organ transplantation and donation. In the […]

This article was originally published on the Washington Post. By Marcello Tonelli and John Gill Marcello Tonelli is associate vice president of research at the University of Calgary. John Gill is a clinician scientist and professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia and a member of the board of directors for the American Society of Transplantation. They are both […]

On November 7, the Veterans Transplant Coverage Act was passed in the House of Representatives. Under this modified act, the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) could pay for a living donation to a veteran by any live donor, including at facilities outside the VA that are part of the Veterans Choice Program. Previously, the VA was […]

Mount Laurel, NJ – October 23, 2017 – Today, the American Society of Transplantation (AST) launches a new fundraising initiative called Power2Save to address the critical need for funding transplant research and to increase public awareness for organ donation. Approximately 50 percent of all transplanted organs will experience failure within five to ten years, typically due […]

Last month, singer and actress, Selena Gomez, announced on Instagram that she had received a living kidney donation from actress, Francia Raisa. Now, Selena is gearing up to tell her story through a documentary about her health issues, including her battle with lupus and her kidney transplant. According to an insider, “Since having the transplant, Selena’s […]

On behalf of the American Society of Transplantation (AST), I would like to congratulate Angelica Hale for her success on NBC’s America’s Got Talent. Last night on the show’s finale, Angelica came in second place, but her inspiring transplant story has touched millions. At the age of 5, Angelica lost kidney function after double pneumonia. To keep […]

10-year-old, Angelica Hale, has been stirring up a lot of national attention with her incredible voice and journey with kidney disease. At the age four, she was diagnosed with double pneumonia, which caused both of her kidneys to fail. She was on dialysis for 18 months before she received a transplant from her mother. Angelica […]

Selena Gomez just announced on Instagram that she underwent a secret kidney transplant over the summer to help in her fight against Lupus. She posted the news on Instagram early Thursday morning as an explanation on why she had been inactive during the summer. She received the gift of life from longtime friend and actress, Francia […]

On September 29, 2017, a transplantation and organ donation focused film entitled “A Question of Faith” will begin playing in theaters. This film features three families who live in the same community and addresses organ, tissue, & eye donation advocacy. The trailer for this movie can be seen here. Sign up for our […]

UNOS founder and original executive director, Gene Pierce, has passed away at the age of 87. Pierce began his transplant career in 1964 as a surgical administrator at the Medical College of Virginia (VCU Health). In 1984, UNOS was founded with Pierce as its executive director. Pierce retired in 1995. The national network had grown […]

There is currently a lot going on regarding liver allocation. The transplant community is at a crossroads with the OPTN/UNOS Liver and Intestinal Organ Allocation Committee’s recently released public comment proposal on enhancing liver allocation. The new proposal aims to balance equity in access to liver transplants and recognize concerns that are raised regarding the […]

In 2017, the American Society of Transplantation (AST) and the Transplantation and Immunology Research Network (TIRN) facilitated providing $460,000 in research money to investigators in the field of transplantation. TIRN provides both career development grants for young investigators and research funding in specific areas along with outside organizations. AST TIRN/Astellas Clinical Science Faculty Development Research […]

Mount Laurel, NJ – May 11, 2017 – The American Society of Transplantation (AST) announced its recently elected 2017-2018 board members, including its new president, president-elect, and secretary, at the American Transplant Congress (ATC) in Chicago. The AST inducted its new president, Ronald Gill, PhD, during its annual meeting on May 1, 2017. Dr. Gill is […]

The American Society of Transplantation (AST) recently issued a statement regarding the newly passed American Health Care Act (AHCA). The AST has several concerns about the law, as it is likely that it will result in many transplant patients losing insurance coverage. For more information, read the full release.

“We have the ability to give the option of life to many people who are exceptionally sick and about to die,” says liver transplant researcher Sergio Duarte, PhD. “That is what I really like about my research — the ability to help and impact so many people.”

Passionate about pulmonary rehabilitation and exercise strategies, researcher Dr. Dmitry Rozenberg, combines both interests in an emerging field in transplantation. Aiming to enhance physical functional ability and the quality of life for lung transplant candidates through his research, Dr. Rozenberg focuses on the significant impairments in skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function — all individual […]

AST President Dr. Dan Salomon was invited to join President Obama this afternoon/Thursday at the White House as he signs S. 330, the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act. Dr. Salomon will attend the very small ceremony in the Oval Office. AST played a very significant role, particularly in the U.S. House of Representatives, to garner […]

Sarah Hyland, the 21-year-old actress who plays Haley Dunphy on the hit ABC sitcom “Modern Family”, underwent a successful kidney transplant this past April. Her story is a beautiful example of the miracle of transplantation. Read more of Sarah’s story, and consider making a donation to Power2Save to help move transplantation forward.